Not the Boy Next Door
by DarkIslander01
Summary: What happens if on the Booze Cruise Ryan and Jim realized their feelings for each other? With Jim's direct approach and Ryan's contempt to his co-workers it'll be a roller coaster of it's up's, down's, with laughs and drama. Rated M for later Chapters.


A/N: So this is what I came up with. I think there was NOT enough Office fanfiction. Especially with Ryan and Jim as the couple, who I believe would be one hell of a couple. Forgive me because this story was written at 3 in the morning after playing video games (Maplestory, I'm kicking it early 2000 style). So the writing is not my best. This takes place half-way through Season 2 and goes to the end. But I don't take everything into account. My plan is that by the end of the second chapter is when I will be using my own storyline. So bear with me. I promise it'll get better.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Office" nor the characters within the story.

These cameras were annoying as we got onto this stupid ship Michael chose out for us. What could be gained from going on a "Booze Cruise" as he so eloquently put it. I tried to get out of this whole shenanigan by making the excuse of a Business Exam I had coming up. Yeah I had one coming up, but not for another two weeks. I just didn't want to deal with Kelly's annoying advances, the girl was something else entirely. Of course I wouldn't say this outloud since I had to appear before the cameras.

Walking onto the boat I knew this whole thing was going to be a big waste of time. "Ryan! I'm so glad you came!" Kelly said with her high pitched voice as she hugged me. I hugged her back, albeit because the cameras were watching.

"Yeah, this should be a great laugh." I said sarcastically.

"I know! We should go and talk with Kevin and Oscar, come on." She said grabbing my arm and dragging me away. Honestly, this girl did not know what the hell sarcasm was.

"Fire guy!" Kevin said, causing an automatic forced smile to appear on my face. I hated that I had a thing here at this company. They needed to get over that already and just call me Ryan.

"Hey Ryan, I'm glad you could join us." Oscar said. I liked Oscar, at least I liked him as a co-worker, he wasn't as stupid as many of the other people in our office. The air was fresh though as it passed across the lake and through the boat. I took in a deep breath, appreciating the fresh air after being cramped into the office for so long.

I watched the rest of the office shuffling in. Angela, Dwight, Pam and Roy, and then I saw the real reason I didn't want to be on this stupid cruise. Jim and his new girlfriend Katie walked into the boat and my heart leaped in my chest. i gave a deep sigh, not knowing what to do anymore. I turned back to the conversation at the table as Kelly went on about some shopping concern.

I've been working at Dunder-Mifflin for a good year and a half now. I've put up with everything that these people have done to me, especially Michael. But, the one thing that I couldn't understand was this weird attraction I had to a tall, brown-eyed, shaggy haired man that worked in the sales department of Dunder-Mifflin. I have never been attracted to a man before, and I never thought I would have. I've had girlfriends in the past and I never took a second look at another man, but Jim Halpert just...caught my eye since day one. I remember meeting him as my heart skipped a beat and took off running. Ever since then, I've just been watching in the background, but never really having a good conversation with the man. I think that once this temp job is over and I move onto a more corporate scene, I'll just move on from this stupid man crush I had on Jim.

I took a sip from my beer and began to talk with the rest of my co-workers. Thinking how mundane life here in Scranton was becoming. Michael's stupid antics came about once again as he tried competing for supremacy with the Captain of the ship. This was becoming ridiculous again, and all I wanted to do was leave. The cameras were focused on Michael as always as they swept the ship for anything interesting.

"So...Ryan..." Kelly said trying to grab my attention. "Are you interested in anyone right now?" She asked, couldn't have been more obvious at the fact she liked me.

"No, not really." I shrugged. Not caring really about what she wanted or anything. My eye quickly shifting to where Jim and Katie were sitting. Looking back to the people at the table.I sort of froze when I noticed that Oscar saw who I looked at during the question.

"You know Ryan, I could hook you up with one of Stacey's friends." Kevin offered.

"No Kevin, I think I'm all right." I pursed my lips, in annoyance but no one noticed.

The rest of the night went by with Michael being brainless and his antics just getting him even further in trouble as he tried to make this a "Business Retreat". It never worked. I talked with Kevin, Kelly, Meredith, and Oscar before excusing myself, trying to find a quiet place. I found it as I climbed onto the second floor, no one wanted to be on this cruise at ten at night. No cameras, no disco lights, nothing. Just the breeze, the smell of the water, and the quiet of the night. I loved nights like these.

Watching the lake pass by in the night I let a smile slip through my facade as I couldn't help but love these kind of nights. I must say though in this night air, I could feel a lot of my stress and worries fall through, guess I have Michael to thank for giving me this opportunity."Hey Ryan." I heard the one person I just did not want to see call my name.

"Hey Jim." I said, trying not to smile at the way his name just flowed as I said it. "What brings you up here?"

"Nothing, just wanted to clear my head. It's getting to be a madhouse down there." He said leaning against the rail next to me. "What about you?"

"Same" I shrugged, and then I said something I didn't think I'd share with anyone here at the office, "I love nights like this. The cold air, the breeze, and then pitch dark night here at the lake. We stayed here when I was small and I remember exploring the area." I smiled.

"Really?" Jim looked at me, his brown eyes seeming to glow in the night. "I never really pegged you to be the guy that loves this." He said. It seemed like he inched a little closer to me.

"I'm full of surprises Jim." I gave him a sarcastic smile before looking back at the lake.

"Why do you insist on doing that?" Jim asked.

"Doing what?" I retorted.

"Keeping up a wall between you and everyone at the office. I'm sure there is at least one person that wants to get to know you Ryan. If you let them." He said turning away from me as the night seemed to get a lot colder than it should have been. I know I shouldn't read into things, but it seemed like he was trying to say he wanted to get to know me. I'll bite.

"Fine then Jim. Who do you think wants to get to know me better. besides Michael?" I had to add the last bit, knowing full well about Michael's man crush on me.

"Well I do." He said kind of off-handed. My heart began to pick up its pace, and I couldn't stop it.

"Ask away then Halpert." I chuckled.

"There you go again with those barriers Ryan." He gave a small sigh. It's not like I was trying to keep these barriers up, it's just. I didn't know what to do about them. I always knew I would have to fend for myself ever since my parents broke up, never really getting close to anyone in school, here at work, I only had a few friends I could "hang" with.

"Sorry..." Was all I could say. "What's wrong Jim? I might not have been working here for awhile, but I know when you are upset." I said as he scratched his head.

"Well, I just broke up with my girlfriend for a person I don't have a chance with." He sighed. I knew he was talking about Pam. They just set a date for their wedding, everyone knew about their office romance.

"You know, breaking up with your girlfriend because the girl you're in love with probably wasn't the best idea Halpert. Mistake number one." I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Jim was telling me about his relationship problems with the person who can't help but think about him whenever he was about to sleep.

"Ryan I wa-" He looked up surprised. He was staring at me hard before we heard a splash from below us. A person just jumped ship. "What the hell did Michael do?" Jim said as we heard people screaming and Michael's voice cut through with the microphone. He was talking about the ship sinking or something. "Time to try to save Michael from his own mess." Jim sighed before heading back down.I soon followed him knowing Michael would eventually try to find me since I disappeared.

After that the night was filled with drinking beer, interacting with my co-workers, and thinking about Jim. It seemed like he wanted to say something but never got the chance to. I Just gave another sigh as the night flowed on.

Weeks passed before Jim and I really interacted with each other. He never brought up his crush nor did he ever mentioned about what we talked about on the booze cruise. We ta;led when Michael injured his foot by stepping on his George Forman grill, his obtuse thinking of making bacon while he sleeps put the two of us into hysterics. We talked then someone left a "package" in Michael's office, and after discussing some theories with Pam, Jim, Oscar, and some of the other members of the office we didn't really talk again. We talked when Jan and Michael had their sexist wars through seminars when Jan almost fired the warehouse for unionizing, which was a smart move if they did unionize.

It was February when I made the first major mistake in my life. I slept with Kelly Kippur. It was a night where I was feeling vulnerable. I couldn't stop thinking about Jim, and after an embarrassing dream and having to wash my sheets the next morning, I just couldn't take it anymore. I needed to get over Jim, and I thought that if I could sleep with a woman than maybe I would forget about Jim. Unfortunately, the time I slept with Kelly was on February 13th, making me automatically her boyfriend. Kelly couldn't wait to tell Jim all about it the next day.

Valentine's Day was hell I must say. Kelly wouldn't stop pestering me about tonight's plans and about what I should buy her and when I would meet her parents, or whatever spewed from her mouth. I couldn't take it anymore. When five o'clock came I rushed out of the office fast. I made it to my car with no sign of Kelly. "Ryan, wait up." I heard Jim call out as I waited for the elevator. He walked into the elevator with me and as soon as the door closed he said, "So you and Kelly?"

"Uhh, yeah." I was surprised by him.

"That's nice, she wouldn't stop talking to me about it today." He chuckled. "I never thought you were really interested in her." He said giving me that odd smile that held more than what he said.

"Well, I mean she is a nice girl. I guess." I responded nonchalantly, but my heart said otherwise. His close proximity made my heart jump at the proximity. My mind was racing at this point and I just...I wanted to reach out and touch him.

"Yeah she is." Jim said. "But, I still don't know why you would take an interest in her. You always go on about Business school and going to corporate for a job. Yet, you get yourself a girlfriend."

"So? Trying to tell me how to live my life Halpert?" I challenged him.

"Don't get the wrong idea Ryan, I'm just trying to understand the reasoning." He said as the doors opened. "I've never pegged you as the guy that would take interest in a girl like Kelly."

"Oh so what you have been watching me now?" I questioned him.

"Actually, yes I have Ryan. I've seen you as you studied in the office and how you have grown to hate your co-workers." He said as we walked outside the building. "I've noticed how you watch everyone in annoyance as Michael tries to hassle you into a friendship." We reached my car as I responded with nothing at all. "I've noticed how you look at me Ryan." I dropped my keys as he said that.

"I don't know what you are talking about." I said, trying to play it off. I bent over and picked up my keys, and when I stood back up, Jim was unusually close to me. He stepped closer to me pushing me against my car. I was thankful that the lot was empty right now. "Jim?"

"Ryan...I've been trying to hide it..." He said moving closer. "But..." It was like he was leaning in, but the moment was ruined by...you guessed it Kelly Kippur.

"Ryan!" She called out as she ran out of the building. "There you are you silly duck. Why didn't you tell me you were leaving." Jim stepped back and waved as she ran over to us, wrapping her arm around mine, "We should go and hang out at your place again." She gave a small wink. "Bye Jim!" She said as Jim began to walk away. I wanted to finish what the hell Halpert wanted to say, but no I had to deal with this one. I looked at Kelly as she dragged me to my car in contempt. I didn't want to be in this relationship.

For the next few weeks I tried to break up with this girl. But she honestly would not shut up. She kept talking and talking about the different aspects of her life. And even when I thought she was done talking something would trigger another long tangent about a celebrity couple or something else that I really did not care about. When I thought I had the chance something would make it where I couldn't. Maybe I was just a coward.

Jim didn't look at me very much afterwards. Always paying attention to something else now he just ignored my prescence. Walking around the office and talking to Pam most of the time. Trying to stop Michael's ridiculous schemes as he made me run around everywhere for errands specifically for him. Like getting food for him, or picking up some pants from the store, or whatever he wanted. I must say though that these tasks got my mind off of Jim, though the drives left me to think about him. I mean why would he just do that to me. He was about to kiss me and now I was nothing to him. What was I supposed to just wait for whatever happens? Fuck that.

The weeks turned into a month and it was the day before our summer began and the cameras would be gone. Tonight Michael wanted to do a charity event, a Casino Night. It was a charity event that Michael liked to do every year or so apparently, though I don't remember when he did this last year. My plan was to break up with Kelly and then confront Jim with whatever was happening tonight at the Casino Night.

Sitting at the bar ordering some mixed concoction for Kelly Jim came up to me. I could feel the cameras on us though and knew I wouldn't be able to say what I wanted to now. "So you and Kelly, that's still going on?" Was the only thing he said to me. I just pursed my lips and gave a small nod.

I gambled like the rest of my co-workers with Kelly being my "Lucky charm". I still resented this woman because of the way she just clung to people. I don't know if she needed to grow up or what, but I needed to get out of this relationship fast.

I watched as Jim left the building looking like he had a lot on his mind. "Hey, I'm going home." I told Kelly as she was playing Roulette. "I'm feeling a little under the weather."

She turned to me, "Come on baby, I thought we were going to go home together, if you know what I mean." She game me a little wink. I shuddered at the thought of doing that again with her.

"No, not tonight Kelly." I sighed.

"Fine then Ryan, just get out of here. You were being a drag anyways!" She practically yelled at me. This woman just loved the drama, but all I did was roll my eyes and walk away from her.

I walked out of the office and was ready to just give my plan up as I took out my keys for my car, but I couldn't find them. I tried to remember the last place I had them and sighed when I realized that they were up in the office. "Seriously?" I sighed. Marching my happy ass back up those stairs I entered the office and went towards my desk. Looking through I still couldn't find my stupid keys. "Where the hell are they." I said now looking everywhere around the office. I couldn't find them until I looked at Jim's desk. Sitting there in the dim light of the computer screen was my keys perfectly placed on his desk.

"Hey Ryan." I heard a voice say as they emerged out of Michael's office. It was Jim. He looked like he was stressed as he watched me.

"Um, hey Jim." I responded grabbing my keys. I just stared at him and he stared at me. "May I ask why my keys were on your desk?"

"Not sure. Maybe someone thought they were mine, maybe someone just found them and put it on the nearest desk, or..." He came a little closer to me, directly in front of me. "Or maybe someone planned this whole thing to get some time away from everyone else."

He was extremely close now. I could smell his breath as it whiffed itself into my nostrils. His scent was intxicating. "W-why would they do that?" I felt myself press itself against hte desk as he got closer.

"Well, you see. If I were the person to do such a thing." He was closing the distance between ourselves fast. I could feel his legs lean against mine. "I would be here to tell you that...I like you Ryan." He said above a whisper/ "I don't know why but I have these feelings for you that I just can't explain." He said right before leaning in and pressing his lips against mine. I felt his strong lips as they moved against mine. He pushed me up against his desk as our bodies came together, his strong chest was pressing against mine and I just...I felt at pure bliss. I brought him in closer as the kiss felt like hours passed, but as we broke away I just, I was speechless. "I've been wanting to do that for awhile now Ryan."

"I...I don't know what to say Jim..." Was all I could muster to say. My body wanting more of the kiss, but my mind confused.

"Ryan, I've watched you for so long. When we talked on the boat I wanted to tell you about how I've liked you since the first time you walked into our office. I don't know why or how, but I just...do." Jim explained.

"Jim, you know we couldn't possibly do this!" My heart was fluttering at the moment and I had to wait patiently for it to calm down.

"So...what you won't go out with me then Ryan?" Jim said, and I saw his fists clench. "I've been trying to tell you for awhile, but you're just so...dense sometimes."

"Jim, I never knew..." I told him. This just didn't feel right. It seemed like Jim was only using me as a last resort. The girl he was in love with was getting married in a few days and he didn't even care. "But what about Pam? Your best friend, who you are in love with?"

"That?" He chuckled, "Ryan, I don't like Pam. There is nothing between us." He said, and I wanted to believe him. My mind was wanting to just let him kiss me again, but there was something else though that I noticed. Resting on the chair that Jim usually sat. It was Pam's purse.

"Really Jim? Then explain Pam's purse." I questioned him. He froze up, and his words caught in his throat. "That's what I thought Jim. I'm sorry but if I'm a last resort, I'd rather be nothing." I pushed him out of the way before leaving the office and making my way downstairs. Into my car. And I just drove far far away. I drove until I made it to the lake and I slept in my car. I slept in my car and I wept over the dumbest mistake of my life.

Jim's Perspective.

I can't believe that just happened. After getting the balls to set this whole thing up I blew it. I sat down in my chair placing my head in my hands. I picked up Pam's purse and placed it neatly at her reception counter.

That whole night I was planning on telling Ryan that I had some kind of feelings for him. That I didn't know what they were but everything told me that I just wanted to kiss him, and when I did it just felt...right. I don't even know anymore.

He was right I did have feelings for Pam, but that was long ago, before I started to realize how I felt about him. Instead I decided that I couldn't pursue Pam even if I wanted to. I just had to strong feelings for Ryan and I wasn't going to put Pam through that kind of hurt. That was why a couple of weeks ago I told her about how I felt about Ryan. She looked...hurt, but understood.

Tonight though I told her everything that I thought about her. "Pam, look, I know that I might not have any right to talk, but I feel like I need to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life."

"What are you talking about Jim?" She responded.

"I want to tell you all the reasons why you shouldn't marry Roy, Pam. You are smart and actually have a sense of humour, you are being pulled down by him, especially when it comes to art school, you actually understand the relationship and you know you aren't happy with him. He leaves you alone here while he goes off with his brother Pam! That's not how a fiance should be!" I practically yelled at her. She just looked down like a sulking child. "I'm not saying saying this to get together with you, you know that. I'm telling you as your best friend." That is sent her over the edge as she cried. "Go and think it all over, I'll see you Monday." I told her pushing her towards the door.

She just nodded, "Thank you Jim. I-I will think about it." She said before heading back downstairs. I saw her car drive off moments before Ryan came up.

Now I walked downstairs, definitely not expecting things to turn out the way they did. But I gave myself an ultimatum. I wasn't going to torture myself if Ryan didn't accept my feelings, so I did the thing I promised myself I would do. I pulled out my phone and dialed Jan's number. "Hello?" I heard her say, no doubt in her car, driving back to New York.

"Hi Jan, it's Jim." I said.

"Oh, hello Jim, I take it you made up your mind about the transfer?" I heard her ask. And in that moment it became surreal about what I was about to do.

"Uhh...yeah, it is. I think...I'll take it the transfer." I told her. After talking about the logistics of the transfer, I couldn't help but sit in my car for awhile, right outside my apartment. I didn't want to pack my things yet. It was Friday night, and by Sunday night I'd be in Stanford. I had to start soon.

"Goodbye Scranton..."


End file.
